An MBoC Favorite: A guide to simple and informative binding assays

An MBoC Favorite: The historic covers selected by Joseph Gall that graced MBoC from 1992 to 1996

A Guide to Simple and Informative Binding Assays

The aim of binding assays is to measure interactions between two molecules, such as a protein binding another protein, a small molecule, or a nucleic acid. Hard work is required to prepare reagents, but flaws in the design of many binding experiments limit the information obtained. In particular many experiments fail to measure the affinity of the reactants for each other. This essay describes ...

An Alkaline Phosphatase Lacking Wheat Germ Agglutinin Binding Sites Useful Enzyme for Lectin Assays with Comparable Activity to the Calf Enzyme

Despite the availability of various alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isoenzymes, the calf enzyme is being used in current enzyme assays as the detector enzyme. The glycosylation pattern of this enzyme makes it a suitable ligand for binding to wheat germ agglutinin lectin (WGA). As a result of this property, the enzyme can not be used as a conjugate with this lectin, and the calf enzyme conjugates can...

Antimutagenic, antitumor and estrogen receptor binding activity of the rare plant Shortia galacifolia: An ethnobotanical and chemosystematic approach

Objective: Shortia and other members of the Diapensiaceae family have ethnomedicinal history in both Eastern and Western hemispheres. Based on ethnopharmacological and chemosystematic evidence, pharmacological and toxicological bioassays were conducted on the rare plant Oconee Bell, Shortia galacifolia. Materials and Methods: Extracts were examined in assays for antimutagenicity, antitumor and ...

MBoC celebrates its first 20 years

This year Molecular Biology of the Cell (MBoC) celebrates its first 20 years as the American Society for Cell Biology’s (ASCB’s) science journal. The cover of this special anniversary issue shows 20 different organisms to highlight the diversity of the cell biology featured in our pages and to affirm our belief that studies of diverse organisms make the understanding of cell biology richer and ...